06 May 2010 01:16

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As Harry Redknapp and his remarkable team proved here at Eastlands, money cannot buy you everything.

It can, as Tottenham's manager so mischievously suggested on Tuesday, allow you to throw your weight around in the transfer market. Allow you to publicly declare a desire to sign Fernando Torres, mock Manchester United over the capture of Carlos Tevez and declare your intention to soon become the biggest club in the world.

But it takes more than cash and arrogance to win a football match and an altogether classier, more intelligent approach to guide a side into the Champions League over the course of a gruelling 38-game season.

Heads we win: Tottenham's match-winner Peter Crouch has the City defence at his mercy

That Redknapp has done it with a match to spare is nothing short ofextraordinary, because this is the man who was in charge of a sidesitting at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League 18 months ago.